Kirbyville's Jack Alvarez leaving for Ennis

Published 3:18 pm, Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Kirbyville's Jack Alvarez has been recommended to become the football coach at Class 4A Ennis. Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Kirbyville's Jack Alvarez has been recommended to become the football coach at Class 4A Ennis. Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco

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Kirbyville's Coach Jack Alvarez coaches during a scrimmage against Silsbee at Kirbyville High School in August. Tammy McKinley/The Enterprise

Kirbyville's Coach Jack Alvarez coaches during a scrimmage against Silsbee at Kirbyville High School in August. Tammy McKinley/The Enterprise

Photo: TAMMY MCKINLEY

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Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, center, congratulates his team after their 27-15 win over the Arp Tigers at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on Friday, November 27, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise less

Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, center, congratulates his team after their 27-15 win over the Arp Tigers at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on Friday, November 27, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The ... more

Photo: Valentino Mauricio

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Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, sends in play instrucions with Ja'Michael Ervine (15) during the second half of playoff action against the Arp Tigers at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on Friday, November 27, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise less

Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, sends in play instrucions with Ja'Michael Ervine (15) during the second half of playoff action against the Arp Tigers at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on ... more

Photo: Valentino Mauricio

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Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez congratulates his team during the second half of playoff action against the Arp Tigers at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on Friday, November 27, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise less

Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez congratulates his team during the second half of playoff action against the Arp Tigers at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on Friday, November 27, 2009. Valentino ... more

Photo: Valentino Mauricio

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Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez talks with Houston Vanya during a time out in the second half of their Class 2A Division I state semifinal game against Comfort at Baylor University in Waco. Saturday, December 5, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise less

Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez talks with Houston Vanya during a time out in the second half of their Class 2A Division I state semifinal game against Comfort at Baylor University in Waco. Saturday, ... more

Photo: Valentino Mauricio

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Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, talks with quarterback Kael Jones in the final minutes of the fourth quarter against Pilot Point in the Class 2A Division I title game at Texas State University in San Marcos. Saturday, December 12, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise less

Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, talks with quarterback Kael Jones in the final minutes of the fourth quarter against Pilot Point in the Class 2A Division I title game at Texas State University in San ... more

Photo: Valentino Mauricio

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Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, sends in play instructions with quarterback Kael Jones during the second half against Pilot Point in the Class 2A Division I title game at Texas State University in San Marcos. Saturday, December 12, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise less

Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, sends in play instructions with quarterback Kael Jones during the second half against Pilot Point in the Class 2A Division I title game at Texas State University in San ... more

Photo: Valentino Mauricio

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Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, congratulates running back LeFredrick Ford, right, after scoring a touch down in the second half of playoff action against Arp at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in Huntsville on Friday, November 27, 2009. Valentino Mauricio/The Enterprise less

Kirbyville head coach Jack Alvarez, left, congratulates running back LeFredrick Ford, right, after scoring a touch down in the second half of playoff action against Arp at Sam Houston Bowers Stadium in ... more

Photo: Valentino Mauricio

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Jack Alvarez will lead Kirbyville against Pilot Point in San Marcos Saturday for the State 2A Division I football championship.
Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Jack Alvarez will lead Kirbyville against Pilot Point in San Marcos Saturday for the State 2A Division I football championship.
Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise

Photo: Guiseppe Barranco

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Jack Alvarez, pictured with his wife Kim, was named as the new football coach at Ennis High School in Ennis, Texas.

Jack Alvarez, pictured with his wife Kim, was named as the new football coach at Ennis High School in Ennis, Texas.

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Kirbyville's Jack Alvarez leaving for Ennis

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Jack Alvarez, the man who turned Kirbyville's football program around was unanimously approved to become the next football coach at Ennis High School, an Ennis ISD spokesman said on Tuesday night.

Alvarez went 95-38 in 11 seasons at Kirbyville and 105-49 overall as a head coach. His first head coaching job was at Pineland West Sabine.

Alvarez led Kirbyville to back-to-back Class 2A State Championship games in 2008 and 2009.

Alvarez's Wildcats were ranked as high as No. 5 in 2010.

"Coach Alvarez was the committee's unanimous choice," said Dr. Barbara Qualls, Ennis ISD superintendent, who also served on the hiring committee. "We received 75 completed applications and several more inquiries, so we made a conscious effort to interview a large number of applicants because the characteristics and qualities of a good coach are best communicated in person."

The committee invited six candidates for second interviews, where candidates analyzed game film clips and discussed off-season philosophy and programs, among other topics.

Ennis, located south Dallas, won state championships in 2000, 2001 and 2004. Coach Sam Harrell resigned before the 2010 season to battle multiple sclerosis and interim coach Steve Marrow coached the team to a 2-8 record. Ennis missed the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Attempts to reach Alvarez have been unsuccessful.

Kirbyville Consolidated ISD Superintendent Richard Hazlewood said the district will name an interim football coach at a special board meeting on Thursday.